Ladder.



B. F. PORSYTHZ LADDER." APPLICATION FILED MAB.2'2, 1911.

1 ,03 1, 1 10 1 Patented July 2', .1912

nnrrnn s rains ra rnnr BENJAMIN F. FORSY'I'H, 0F PAON'IA, COLORADO, ASSlG-NGl-t 0F ONE-HALF 1 03i??? W. COPE, 0F PAQNIA, COLGRADQ.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 22, 1911. Serial. lilo. 616,169.

the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

The ob ect of my HIVGDUOH .18 to provide an improved, simple and highly eiiicicnt' ladder which will permit of ready and easy climbing and at all times insure a secure foot-hold for the user. it being unnecessary to disengage the feetfrom the toot-rests either in ascending or descending, the sup-, porting means being constantly under control of the user.

The invention will be hereinafter fully set forth and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1.- is a View in perspective of a ladder embodying my invention. ig. Q is an enlarged dongitudinal sectional View through one of the toot-rests. Fig. shows a foot-rest detached.

Referring to the drawings, 1, 1, designate two spaced apart uprights which are shown mounted 'on a base 2 and provided at their upper ends with brackets for sup 'iorting the usual top step or shell 3. The brackets are shown as forming bearings for the pintle of a prop a.

On each of the uprights I mount a footrest which is designed to be clamped and firmly held in place under the weight of the user but which may be released and caused to assume a dili' erent positionby the foot of the user, the two toot-rests being alternately manipulated. each foot -rest to its respective upright as to enable them to be alternately slid upwardly or downwardly may be widely varied. The

means shown embodies, in addition to the foot-rest 5, an arm 6 secured to the underside of the foot-rest. by any suitable means and projecting at its rear end through a slot- 7 extending longitudinally in the upright.

I have shown each arm 8 as secured to the uprights by pins 8 and 9 passed through openings in such arms on opposite sides oi" the uprights, the front, pin 8 being on a inner end of the toot-rest, pr-..-

The means for so connecting bind against the front andrear faces of v upright to clutch the foot-rest thereon.

in order to prevent undue wcarhy the hiting of the pins I employ plates 10 and ii. located between the pins and the faces of the uprights, the front plates 10 fitting in grooves 13 in the front face otthe upright.

it will be understood that the two pins he.- ing on different planes at the front and rear of each upright constitute clutches whereby the foot-rests are frictionally held locked i: the uprights. I have shown springs lei act ing on the rear ends of arms 6 for holdin the foot-rests as against accidental dis-phi ment when the foot is removed tl'iere'trom, the tension of the springs forcing the rear end of the arm (3 upwardly. causing the pins to bind against the upright.

Each foot-rest 5 is provided with an adjustable loop 15 by pulling upwardly on which the foot-rest may he raised, the placing his weight on one rest and eleiat the other. Each toot-rest may hi:- eas. lowered by the operator pressing his foot on a toe-plate 1.6 projecting; upwardly from the ire thereon releasing the clutch and permitting ready lowering of the parts.

In p acticc, the operator by hearing his weight upon one foot and lifting the-other clutch, and by pulling upwardly on the loop cause the foot-rest to assume either a higher or the same plane as the other foot-rest. Then by transferring his weight to the foot rest so moved into a different plane the other rest may. in like manner. he moved into either the same or a higher plane. T0 lower the toot-rests the operator bears against the toe plate l6. and tlllOWlllgIlllS weight to be wholly or partly placed on such footrest may movcfihe latter down wardly the desired distance.

' It will be 0b$l'\ ed that l have provided a ladder comprising but few parts and which will permitof easyand gradual ascension or doscension, and one which will at all times insure a steady fruit-hold.

l claim as my invention:

1. A ladder comprisi11 spaced apart uprights having longitudinal slots there-in,

said foot rests extending through said slots,

'- and means carried by said arms on opposite sides of said uprights for locking said foot,- rests to said uprights.

3. In a ladder, the combination with spaced apart uprights having longitudinal slots therein of foot rests slidably mounted thereon, arms carried by said foot-rests extending through the slots in said uprights,

Vmeans carried by said arms for clutching said.uprights to lock said foot-rests thereto,

and means carried by each footrest for releasing 1t from its upright.

4. In a ladder, the combination with uprights, of foot rests slidably mounted thereon, each foot rest having a clutch for looking it to its upright, an. adjustable loop secured to each ,foot rest-,and a-toe=plate at the inner end of each foot-rest the clutch being capable of being disengaged by the operator pulling upwardly on the loop or bearing'on the toe-plate.

In testimony whereof, I have signed this spe cification in the presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

' BENJAMIN F. lVitnesses ROY WV. Corr,

7 HATTIE VAUGHAN.

FORSYTH. 

